Proenza Schouler, Kenzo, and Valentino on Designing As Duos

Inside V’s “Dynamic Duos” issue (the one with Rihanna and Kate Moss on the cover), the magazine features a portrait series of its favorite designer duos, photographed by Max Von Gumppenberg. Among them: Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, the creative directors of Kenzo; Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, founders and creative directors of Proenza Schouler; and Pierpaolo Piccioli and Maria Grazie Chiuri, creative directors of Valentino. Each pair talks about approaching the fashion world together — “That first collection for Kenzo holds a special place in our hearts. It was a moment of realization that we were actually full participants in the world of Paris fashion,” Lim said.

For Hernandez, it’s always nice “to have the opinion of someone you respect — it is never a solitary process.” Piccioli rattled off a list of Valentino’s triumphs since he and Chiuri took the helm in 2008: “Our first couture, the black collection, our first show with Rockstuds, our first menswear, and our last couture show were definitely great collaborative projects … but for me too, the best is always yet to come.”